BRADY’S  PHOTOGRAPHIC  COLLECTION 


OF 


AND 


REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


In  addition  to  his  Portraits  of  Representative  Men,  Mr.  Brady 
has  produced  an  entirely  new  and  remarkably  spirited  Collection  of 
Views,  illustrating  prominent  incidents  of  the  War,  from  the  first 
battle  to  the  final  surrender  of  Lee  and  Johnston;  and  several 
hundred  specimen  copies  have  just  been  placed  on  the  walls  of  his 
Grallery,  to  which  the  attention  of  the  public  is  respectfully  called. 

The  historic  interest  that  attaches  to  really  faithful  repre- 
sentations of  important  scenes  and  actions,  as  well  as  to  the  portraits 
of  distinguished  personages,  renders  this  Collection  of  inestimable 
value,  and  a useful  auxiliary  to  future  historical  inquiry.  Pho- 
tography has  never  before  been  applied  to  so  important  an  object, 
and  rarely,  if  ever,  with  such  brilliant  and  satisfactory  results. 

The  Views  were  taken  on  the  spot,  during  the  progress  of 
hostilities,  by  Mr.  Brady  and  his  assistants,  and  represent  “grim 
visaged  war  ” exactly  as  it  appeared.  If  Art  could  have  preserved 
for  us,  with  equal  fidelity,  the  scenes  of  the  Revolution,  and  the 
features  of  the  eminent  men  of  that  time,  how  much  it  would  have 
simplified  the  labors  of  the  historian  and  the  historical  painter ; 
how  greatly  it  would  have  enriched  theii’  works  ! 


The  Pictures  show  the  battle-fields  of  the  Rebellion,  and 
its  memorable  localities  and  incidents:  such  as  Military  Camps, 
Fortifications,  Bridges,  Processions,  Reviews,  Siege-Trains,  Valleys, 
Rivers,  Villages,  Farm-Houses,  Plantations,  and  famous  Buildings 
of  the  South  : together  with  Groups  and  Likenesses  of  the  promi- 
nent actors,  in  the  performance  of  duty  ; Ijefore  and  after  the  smoke 
of  battle ; around  l)ivouac  fires  ; in  the  trenches,  and  on  the  decks 
of  iron-clads — the  whole  forming  a complete  Pictorial  History  of 
our  great  Hational  Struggle. 

The  Collection  also  embraces  the  results  of  Mr.  Brady’s  labors 
for  the  last  twenty-five  years. 

1.  — Portraits,  taken  from  the  original  sittings,  of  many  distinguished  men, 

tvho  figured  in  tlie  early  years  of  tlie  present  century,  some  of  whom,  at  a 

later  period,  appeared  as  Leaders  in  political  coiilliots. 

2.  — The  Likenesses  of  all  the  prominent  actors  in  the  War  with  Mexico. 

3.  — The  Portraits  of  8tatesmen,  Legislators,  Jurists,  .Journalists,  Itivines, 

Merchants,  Bankers,  Artists,  Authors,  Explorers,  and  Eminent  Men  and 

Women  of  the  whole  country — Uorth  and  South. 

“ Often  have  I found,”  stiys  Mr.  Carlyle,  “a  portrait  superior, 
in  real  instruction,  to  half  a dozen  written  biographies.”  These 
Portraits  and  Views  are  absolutely  faithful ; but  many  of  the 
prominent  personages  are  dead,  and  the  materiel  from  which 
the  Views  are  made  has,  for  the  most  part,  ceased  to  exist.  The 
“ pride,  pomp,  and  circumstance  of  glorious  war  ” is  gone  ; the  for- 
tifications are  in  ruins;  the  bridges  over  which  armies  marched 
have  been  destroyed ; the  picturesque  military  camps  have  been 
broken  up,  and  the  battle-fields  wear  a changed  appearance. 

The  preservation  and  permanent  exhibition,  in  the  city  of  Hew 
York,  of  this  rich  historic  collection  becomes,  therefore,  a matter 
of  grave  importance,  and,  since  the  close  of  the  Rebellion,  has  been 
repeatedly  urged  Ijy  some  of  our  best  citizens. 

It  is  proposed,  therefore,  to  place  the  Collection  in  one  of  the 
Galleries  of  the  N.  Y.  Historical  Society,  where  it  will  be  secure 
from  injury  or  loss  by  fire,  and,  at  the  same  time,  accessible  to  the 
historical  student,  the  artist,  and  the  public.  This  plan  has  met 
with  the  cordial  approval  of  all  to  whom  it  has  been  submitted,  and 


€\^t  Comttil  of  Jational  i^rahma  of  icmp, 

at  a meeting  held  on  Monday  evening,  January  29th,  1866,  unani- 
mously adopted  the  following  resolution  : 

'•'•  Resolved : That  we  esteem  the  extensive  and  valuable  collection  of  pho- 
tographs by  Mr.  M.  B.  Brady,  of  scenes,  incidents,  and  portraits  connected  with 
the  late  Rebellion,  and  other  material  of  historic  interest,  as  one  of  great  value  ; 
as  a nucleus  of  a national  historical  museum  ; as  reliable  authority  for  Art, 
and  illustrative  of  our  history ; and  we  strongly  recommend  the  proposal  to 
secure  for  it  a safe  and  permanent  place  in  the  keeping  of  the  IST.  Y.  Historical 
Society.” 

(Signed,) 

D.  Huntington,  Pi-esident, 

Henky  Peters  Gkat,  Vice-President, 

T.  Addison  Eiohaeds,  Corresponding  Secretary, 

J.  B.  Steakns,  Recording  Scretary, 

E.  D.  E.  Greene,  Treasurer, 

Geo.  a.  Baker, 

Thomas  Hicks, 

S.  R.  Gifford, 

J.  F.  Kensett, 

J.  Quincy  A.  Ward, 

E.  Leutze. 


ITfttfr  from  ITifiitntant-iSfnfral  (Sraiit. 

Head-Quarters  Armies  of  the  United  States,  ) 
Washington,  D.  0.,  Feb.  3,  1866.  ( 

M.  B.  Brady,  Esq.  : 

Dear  Sir : — I am  glad  to  learn  that  you  have  determined  to  place  on 
permanent  exhibition,  in  the  galleries  of  the  N.  Y.  Historical  Society,  your  Col- 
lection of  Photographic  Views  of  Battle-fields,  &c.,  taken  on  the  spot,  while  the 
occurrences  represented  were  taking  place. 

I knew  when  many  of  these  representations  were  being  taken,  and  have  in 
my  possession  most  of  them,  and  I can  say  that  the  scenes  are  not  only  spirited 
and  correct,  but  also  well  chosen. 

The  Collection  will  be  valuable  to  the  student -and  artist  of  the  present 
generation  ; but  how  much  more  valuable  it  will  be  to  future  generations ! 

(Signed,) 

U.  S.  Grant, 

Lieut.-General. 


) 


